Wood, along with some House Democrats, environmentalists and government reform advocates, touted the financial benefits of changing the state's tax policies.

He said the state could garner $800 million by expanding the state sales tax to include gum, candy, dry cleaning and advertising; $80 million by taxing cigars and smokeless tobacco; and $52 million by charging Amazon.com sales tax.

He also said $500 million would come from closing the "Delaware Loophole," which allows companies that do business in Pennsylvania but establish headquarters in Delaware not to pay sales tax.

Former state Rep. Dave Levdansky, D-Allegheny, said these suggestions are a way for the state to raise tax revenues without raising tax rates.